Sizzling Bacon’s big performance takes Volts home

Matt Bacon. PHOTO: SUPPLIED

Matt Bacon stretched his arm as far as it could go.

The Otago Volts pacer was heading in the opposite direction from where Central Stags captain Tom Bruce popped his delivery up in the 18th over of Saturday’s Super Smash game.

Bacon turned himself into a contortionist, throwing his arm and body as far as they could go across the wicket to snaffle arguably the catch of the season.

The ball went flying in the air, Bacon gave it a double fist pump and the Volts were ecstatic as the game turned on its head, leading them towards a four-wicket win.

It was the start of something spectacular from Bacon, who finished with career-best figures of five for 28.

Before then, the Stags, who are at the top of the table, looked comfortable sitting at 145 for five and chasing a relatively easy Volts total of 166 at Saxton Oval in Nelson.

But three balls later Bacon was back with another when Brett Randell pulled his ball to the outfield and was caught by Andrew Hazeldine.

Then he was called upon at the death to bowl a tense final over.

He dismissed Black Caps bowler Ajaz Patel with his first delivery, took Jayden Lennox with the third and bowled a perfect dot ball to finish the over, giving the Volts their third win in six days.

Earlier in the match, he took the wicket of opening batter Ben Smith and played a role in the run-out of Josh Clarkson.

It was a day to remember for the big man, who picked up his first five-wicket bag. It was just the second five-wicket haul of the Super Smash season — the other by fellow Volts player Dean Foxcroft.

The performance was a remarkable turn around for Bacon recently bowled at the death in a game against the Auckland Aces. The Aces needed 18 off the final over to win, and the game ended in a tie.

You could not wipe the smile off his face on Saturday.

"Just trying to soak it in as much as possible," Bacon told Spark Sport after the game.

"You look two games back and I didn’t do the job for the boys, so just, you know, happy I could close out."

"[The ball] held in the surface a little bit so just trying to get some deviation off the seam and yeah, worked a treat I guess."

Captain Hamish Rutherford said his team knew its 166-run total was under par, but put the pressure on the Stags and Bacon brought them home.

"I think like anything if you get some early wickets and [are] able to build pressure there, which we did, and then obviously Bacs came in at the death and just changed the game which is bloody awesome," Rutherford said.

"He’s really good. He’s full of banter. Bacs takes it away [on Saturday] for us and puts us in a great position in this comp."

Otago were sent in to bat first, with Foxcroft showing his class again, belting 66 off 49 balls to push the Volts to their 166 for eight.

Nick Kwant added 22 off 14 and Josh Finnie (13), Jake Gibson (12) and Hazeldine (12 not out) all contributed.

Randell, Ray Toole and home-town favourite Josh Clarkson took two wickets each.

In reply, Bayley Wiggins whacked 41 off 24 balls until Super Smash leading wicket taker Michael Rae teamed with Foxcroft to get him out.

Bruce (32), Will Young (25) and former Black Cap Ross Taylor (21) all added to the total, but the Stags fell short at 162 for nine.

Rae took two wickets and Ben Lockrose grabbed one but the day belonged to Bacon.

— Otago were pummelled by 207 runs against Wellington in the national under-17 tournament on Saturday. Henry Scott (54) top-scored and took three wickets for Otago.

The team was well-beaten again yesterday by 181 runs against Northern Districts. Hugo Bogue scored 65 runs off 39 balls and Scott took another three wickets.